The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of garden rose plant which originated from a controlled crossing between MACrexy (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,713) and an unnamed seedling (non-patented). The two parents were crossed and the resulting seeds were planted in a controlled environment. The new variety is named xe2x80x98POULdrikxe2x80x99.
The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, MACrexy, by the following combination of characteristics:
1. The seed parent has over 40 petals per bloom, while xe2x80x98POULdrikxe2x80x99 has 14 to 18 petals;
2. The seed parent has light to medium pink flowers, while xe2x80x98POULdrikxe2x80x99 has coral pink flowers.
The new variety is similar phenotypically to the pollen parent, an unnamed seedling created by the same inventors, in that both varieties are floribundas with semi-double pink flowers.
The objective of the hybridization of this rose variety for garden use was to create a new and distinct variety with unique qualitites, such as:
1. Uniform and abundant coral pink flowers;
2. Vigorous, compact growth;
3. Cold hardiness and disease resistance.
This combination of qualities is not present in previously available commercial cultivars of this type and distinguish xe2x80x98POULdrikxe2x80x99 from all other varieties of which we are aware.
As part of their rose development program, L. Pernille Olesen and Mogens N. Olesen germinated the seeds from the aforementioned hybridization and conducted evaluations on the resulting seedlings in a controlled environment in Fredensborg, Denmark.
xe2x80x98POULdrikxe2x80x99 was selected by the inventors in the spring of 1988 as a single plant from the progeny of the aforementioned hybridization.
Asexual reproduction of xe2x80x98POULdrikxe2x80x99 by traditional budding was first done by L. Pernille and Mogens N. Olesen in August, 1989. This initial and other subsequent propagations conducted in controlled environments have demonstrated that the characteristics of xe2x80x98POULdrikxe2x80x99 are true to type and are transmitted from one generations to the next.